


The Knights of Ren

by Nariva



Series: Knights of Ren [1]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Complete, Gen, Heroes to Villains, Imperial Bodhi Rook, Imperial Cassian Andor, Imperial Jyn Erso, Loyalty, Star Wars: The Force Awakens Spoilers, The Force
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2017-02-10
Packaged: 2018-09-09 18:37:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8907541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nariva/pseuds/Nariva
Summary: The Knights of Ren are woken decades after the death of their Master, Darth Vader, by Kylo Ren and Supreme Leader Snoke. Such details will not stop them from finishing the mission their Master had given them- securing Luke Skywalker's rule and killing any who threatened it.





	1. First Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Knights of Ren are woken decades after the death of their Master, Darth Vader, by Kylo Ren and Supreme Leader Snoke. Such details will not stop them from completing the mission their Master had given them- securing Luke Skywalker's rule and killing any who threatened it.

     When the Rogue sees him for the first time, she believes he is Darth Vader. Her eyes are still stinging from her stay in the carbonite, her vision blurry and weak, when she looks up and sees him watching. He is as formidable as ever, tall and dressed in black, and she hears once more the hiss of his breath. She ignores the surprised cries of the doctors who tend to her, ignores the inner pain that screams at her, and drops into a bow. Head down, shoulders down. Just as he had taught them.

     "Lord Vader," the Rogue greets her Master, and hears the rest of her teammates, whose visions have yet to heal as far as hers has, join her on the ground. She is aware of the sudden silence in the medical room, filled only by the mechanical hisses of her Lord's breathing, and wonders at their reactions. The doctors know that the Knights of Ren serve Darth Vader, why were they now acting as if they didn't? No matter, the Rogue dismisses them, she cares not for the strange ignorance of those lower than her Master.

     "Your orders, my Lord," she asks expectantly. Instead of commands, though, there is another moment of silence.

     "I am not Darth Vader," the man before her finally speaks, and she can't stop her head from shooting up at his words. Not their Master? But he- And that's when the Rogue finally notes the differences- the smaller stature, the slightly higher pitch of breath, the difference in masks. She stares up at the man before her, thrown off balance. Is he a new apprentice under Darth Vader? Or is the man Luke Skywalker, finally turned to his father's side? The Rogue feels panic at the thought. The Knights had only just begun to lay down the foundations of his support base when they had been ordered to enter the carbonite- they had not been given sufficient time to build a suitable power base for him. Had the man, therefore, built his own? But no, questioning was a sign of weakness, better to assume wrongly than to show an opening to the Sith before her.

     "Apprentice Skywalker," she addresses the man, and cannot comprehend the reason as to why he suddenly displays both fury and confusion at her words. The Rogue continues to look up at him, aware that the doctors around her have paled, as she waits for him to speak again.

     "No," he finally corrects her, "I am Kylo Ren."


	2. The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Knights of Ren learn the truth, a decision is reached, and the Apprentice becomes their new Master.

     The Rogue's world shudders dangerously when the Knights are finally briefed on their situation. The Emperor, dead? Their Master, dead? She sits through the rest of the debriefing in dead silence. The Knights had failed- _she_ had failed. The reality of their situation makes her feel hopelessly lost, aimless. Their mission is a failure, their Master is gone- the Knights of Ren have nothing left in this new universe. They return to their room in complete silence. The Rogue says nothing, does nothing. Darth Vader had never trained them for a situation like this.

     It is the Monk who finally grounds them, after he perceives the truth of their situation. The Emperor and their Master are dead, but Luke Skywalker still lives. Hope, a dead and withered thing within the Rogue, blooms once more at his words. Their mission is not a failure, for Skywalker has yet to ascend to the galaxy's throne. Life once again fills the Knights of Ren, and the woman quietly revels in their renewed purpose. She returns to her training the next day with a new vigor, fights until her hands are a bloodied mess, and retires in satisfaction. Her teammates join her, and by the end of the week they are able to fight as they once had. A good thing, the Rogue learns several days later, for the Supreme Leader intends to make use of them. It is in that moment that he makes his first mistake. He reveals his ignorance. He arrogantly appoints his Apprentice, Kylo Ren, as their new Master. As she kneels before the Apprentice for a second time, she laughs at them both on the inside. For all of their reputed knowledge about the old Empire and Darth Vader, they have shown that they truly know nothing. It is after the meeting, when the Knights have a moment of silence in their room, that they reach an agreement amongst themselves. The Knights of Ren have a new Master, but he will never have their loyalty. They will follow the Apprentice's commands, but he will never hold their true allegiance. The Knights will serve the First Order- they will steal for it, betray others for it, and kill for it. _While it suited their purpose._ The Apprentice unknowingly cinches their decision when he calls them forth to reveal their first mission. The First Order had tracked a rebel pilot to the planet of Jakku, the younger man tells them. The pilot had information of utmost importance to the First Order- a map that would reveal the location of Luke Skywalker. The Apprentice speaks of Luke Skywalker in heated tones, rails in an emotional display unfit for a Sith about how the Jedi is a danger to the First Order and all it stands for. The Knights of Ren remain silent throughout the Apprentice's rant, and the Rogue watches as he takes their silence as agreement. He could not be more wrong. It is only their prior agreement that keeps her from gutting the man, that keeps her teammates from cutting down every person in the station to escape.

The First Order would use them. The Supreme Leader would use them. The Apprentice would use them. They would use them, and they would trust them. It would be their downfall.

The Knights of Ren are loyal to one being only.

They have but one true Master.

Darth Vader.


	3. Strange Company

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The resistance pilot is captured and tortured- the Rogue knows what it's like to wake up alone.

   In the end, they are not allowed to set foot on Jakku. The stormtroopers do an adequate job of taking the village, and the Apprentice decides that they are unneeded for the endeavor, leaving them aboard the flagship as he alone descends to the planet. The Rogue had spent that time pacing within their small room, agitated at their dismissal. She heads to the flagship's torture rooms as soon as the Apprentice remembers to inform them of his success, wishing to see to pilot who has unwillingly given them their best lead. She is not surprised at what she finds upon entrance. Glazed eyes look up at her, and she takes in his bloodied appearance in silence.

     "So," the pilot mutters, "who talks first? You talk first? I talk first?" He lets out a broken laugh, as if he as just shared some private in-joke with her.

     "You spoke first," the Rogue points out, baffled at his odd questions.

     " _Finally_ ," the man weakly crows at her, "a person with some humor around here!" Humor? She has merely pointed out the fallacy within his questions, she has found no humor within them. The torture has clearly driven the man's senses from him, she will wait until he is more lucid. The Rogue ignores the pilot's continued questions, turning her thoughts inward as she leans against the closest wall and considers the future. The Knights are at an impasse, as things stand now. They must once again wait for the return of General Hux's forces, who even now search the settlements of Jakku for the droid. The General had committed a great number of his forces to the task, the Rogue doubts she will have to wait much longer. Once they return, however, she suspects that things will become more complicated for her team. The Rogue is uncertain as to what the Apprentice will try to do once the First Order finally tracks Luke Skywalker down, but she is confident in the Knights' abilities to protect their future ruler. Is it what they had been trained for, after all, and they will _not_ fail their Master in this. The sudden lack of sound, however, pulls her from her contemplations. Exhausted questions no longer besiege her, and she is curious to see if the man has given up in the face of her silence. The Rogue looks up, and is surprised to find that the pilot is asleep. The woman stands as quietly as she can, turning towards the door... only to pause at the threshold. When she leaves, the torturers will return, and the pilot will be will be woken. She remains.

 

     The Rogue stretches her legs, unhooking her helmet as quietly as she can. The woman shifts it under her arm, fighting off the urge to shiver as she finally feels the chill of the room. She can still remember parts of Before, of waking in sterile torture chambers, always to be greeted by the blank masks of her torturers. Awake, pain, unconscious. Awake, pain, unconscious. That cycle had become the center of her existence, the sole thing she had to look forward to in the wake of their capture. At least, the Rogue acknowledged, until the Force had once more drawn Darth Vader to the Rogue One members. She could still recall in exact detail the day they had finally me-

     “You look kinda familiar,” the pilot words are faint, his too bright eyes struggling to focus in on her face. The Rogue nearly starts at his unexpected interruption, her eyes flickering up to watch the wounded man before her. “What’s… what’s your name?”

     “I am the Rogue,” she replies, after a moment of hesitance.

     “…The Rogue? What kind of a name is that,” the pilot asks her, snickering weakly even as he winces at the motion.

     “It is the one my Master gave me,” the Rogue explains, frowning as he snorts in faint amusement.

     “Master?" he questions, "it sure is nice to know that Kylo Ren has finally-“

     “The Apprentice is not my Master,” she snaps, unable to stop herself from correcting that man. To compare the Apprentice to her Lord in any way, even unknowingly, is a slight she will not tolerate.

     "Snoke, then," and something in his tone of voice makes the Rogue look at him once more. Even through the man's pain, she catches the calculating look that flints through his eyes.

     "No," the woman replies, and old habit from Before makes her roll her eyes in disdain. The Supreme Leader, though perhaps closer to what a Sith should be, is still nothing but a child when compared to her Master. Even if the... creature... had proved to be a match for their Master, their loyalty would not have been swayed. The Rogue leans back, once again unwilling to answer any more of the pilot's questions. He has served his purpose- she had been informed before her arrival that the Apprentice had extracted the map's location from him. The Rogue had merely visited the man because...

     The hiss of the door opening behind her draws both of their gazes as a stormtrooper enters the room at a brisk pace.

     "Ren-" the Rogue watches the other man start to say, only to come to a complete verbal and physical halt as he finally lays eyes upon her. She is apparently not the one he had expected to speak to.

     "Continue," the Rogue urges him, and the man gives a small, shaky nod.

     "Kylo Ren, he... he wants the prisoner, ma'am," the stormtrooper mutters quietly to her, his head going down as she continues to gaze at him. The Rogue glances back at the pilot, and the man meets her eyes once more. The pilot no longer holds any information of interest to the Knights, what happens to him now is unimportant to her.

     "You may have him," she tells the nervous stormtrooper, letting him pass as she strides from the room. The First Order has sent forces to retrieve the map- she will wait with her teammates for their return.


	4. Fury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A man is killed and an order is given.

     The pilot escapes. The stormtrooper escapes. The stormtrooper escapes again, this time with the droid and a girl.  
     The Rogue is awaiting the Apprentice's orders, kneeling with her squad before him, when the news is delivered. The bearer of the news, a nervous man, glances at them as he removes his hat with shaking hands.  
     "Sir... we were unable to acquire the droid on Jakku," he reports, his voice quiet with fear. The Apprentice turns slowly at the man's words, and the Rogue imagines she can feel the temperature in the room drop. "It escaped capture aboard a stolen Corellian YT model freighter."  
     "The droid," the Apprentice begins, lapsing into deadly silence before he speaks once more, "stole a freighter?"  
     "Not exactly, sir," the other man amends, visibly gulping as he continues, "it had help." The Rogue watches as the Apprentice turns to fully face the man, a smooth motion that screams danger to all within the room. "We have no confirmation," the messenger continues, "but we believe FN-2187 may have helped in the esca-" He is the only one who flinches when the Apprentice's lightsaber ignites, the blade cutting searing paths through the machinery before them. The Rogue remains where she is even as hot sparks shower the group, even as the lightsaber illuminates the Sniper's mask in a swing that strays too close to him for her comfort. The messenger flinches at every strike, his face pale as bone in the red glow of the Apprentice's weapon. They wait for the Sith's fury to pass, all watching in silence as he hacks again and again at the console. They do not have to wait long. The Apprentice takes one final swing, showering them once more with white hot sparks, before he slowly straightens. She does not relax at the sound of his lightsaber de-activating, even though the man standing beside them takes a small, relieved breath.  
     "Anything else," the Apprentice asks, still facing the ruined machinery before him. If possible, the other man blanches even further at his question. He struggles to speak, and they wait once more in a moment of silence for him to regain his words.  
     "The two were accompanied by a girl." It is then that the Apprentice finally lashes out with the Force, assuming a pose the Rogue is intimately familiar with as the messenger is ripped off of his feet and yanked into the Sith's outstretched hand. For a moment, as she takes in both the choking man and the black clad figure, she believes they are back in the past. _Darth Vader tightens his grip on the man's throat, merciless and filled with rage at this latest failure. Their intelligence agents have once again been unable to locate Skywalker, and this had been their best lead for finding the young man. Their repeated failures have enraged the Sith, and she knows without a doubt that the man struggling to breath will not live for much longer. Continued failure, Darth Vader had drilled into all under his command, ended in death at his hands. The Rogue keeps her head down as her Lord speaks, his voice brought low with fury._  
_"What girl," her Lord grinds out, and she falters in confusion. Girl? They pursue Skywalker, not a female. Has their objective changed? Has-_ And the Rogue blinks behind her mask, clawing her way back into the present just as the messenger speaks again.  
     "We... we don't kno-" They are the last words the man ever speaks, for the Apprentice pivots sharply and plunges his re-ignited lightsaber through the man's heart. The Rogue watches, shaken from her slip up, as the man deactivates his lightsaber once more. He turns from them, shoulders heaving with rage, his breathing harsh and quick. The smell of charred wiring and flesh intermingle, and she struggles to ignore the stench when the Apprentice finally turns back to them.  
     "Find them," he snarls, his voice low and guttural. "Kill them, and bring the droid to me."


	5. Maz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Knights of Ren visit Maz Kanata.

     Takodana is a lush planet, covered in vibrant forests and shimmering blue lakes. The only prominent structure on the planet is an interconnected complex of buildings, one that reminds the Rogue of ancient palaces. The Armory lands them as close as he can, at the end of an oddly well organized line of other ships. The Rogue waits for the ship to settle, then stands from her seat. As she unhooks her helmet and sets it aside, as she leaves their small transport, she finally steps foot on solid ground. Grass crinkles beneath her boots, and the wind whispers across her bare face. The Rogue takes a breath, marveling at the feel of the warmth of the sun. Her teammates are slow to follow her, and each turn their eyes skyward as they step beyond the ship. Their helmets are left behind in a move the Sniper hopes will help them avoid unwanted attention, and the sun shines down upon their exposed faces for the first time in decades. She allows them each their moment, then motions sharply towards the complex. Her movement draws their collective gazes, and they seamlessly fall back into formation. The sun and the wind are forgotten- they have a mission to complete. It is a short walk to the complex, and they receive only a few passing nods from other travelers as they near it. She wonders at their reactions, at the sheer and utter _lack_ of them. The people do not cower before them, do not flee in terror or engage in hostile actions. They believe that the Knights are like them- regular people. It is strange, what the simple removal of their helmets achieves. They had been necessary, back when the Knights had served under Darth Vader. The risk of their identities from Before being discovered had forced them to cover their faces, but now? Here, in a time where the any memory of the Rogue One Squadron has likely disappeared, they can walk without fear of discovery. Their former identities are forgotten relics, and she doubts that any citizen could recall even one of their names if questioned. Well, no. Never entirely forgotten, she corrects herself. The Sniper had personally seen to that, and he still wore the data chip that he had fashioned into a necklace. On it, they all know, are the names and faces of every Resistance member who had volunteered to participate in the Rogue One Squadron's first and final mission. Its very existence is a violation of the law, punishable only by immediate execution. The Knights had never breathed a word of it to any other being, not even their Lord. It is a weakness, this sentimentality, but it is one she finds herself incapable of correcting. The door hisses open before them, and the Rogue is forced into the present as a girl dressed in tan rushes past them. She startles, but the younger woman pays them no heed as she clears their small group. Shaken back to reality, the Rogue brushes her distraction away. She forgets the girl as she reassumes her position at the head of the Knights, as she turns to look to them.

     "Ready," she asks her teammates, and they nod as one. Satisfied, the Rogue steps through the complex's entrance. It is a place of drink and song, warm and inviting. The Rogue brushes past enthusiastic singers, ignoring the few looks of interest both she and the Sniper gain from several patrons. The woman continues her sweep of the room, dismissing all who stand taller than the Heavy's hip. There are thankfully few who pass her test, and she spots the most likely one to be whom she seeks as the alien re-enters the room, appearing troubled. The Rogue remembers only dimly what the woman named Maz Kanata looks like, from long ago reports about her possibly being the key to finding Han Solo, and in turn, Luke Skywalker. The alien had eventually been dismissed as a person of interest, and the Knights had moved on to more promising individuals. The Rogue glances to the Sniper, nodding her head towards the small woman to see if she is correct. He follows her gaze, and signals his agreement after a moment of examination. The Rogue puts on an innocent smile, assuming the airs of a simple traveler as she relaxes her stance. She bends to tap Maz on the shoulder, flashing another smile as the woman turns to look up at her.

     "Greetings," the Rogue starts, "I am-"

     "Jyn," the smaller woman cuts in, stark shock clear in her voice as she whispers the old name. "Jyn... Erso." It is the Rogue's turn to be surprised. "But how-" And she watches as the woman's gaze flickers down to her dark clothing, and understanding flares in her eyes as she recognizes its outdated Imperial design. "The Empire," the alien states, and the woman gives a short nod at her words, feeling no need to keep up a ruse that has already been seen through. "You serve the First Order," Maz pieces the truth together with startling intuition, "you've come for the droid."

     "Yes," the Rogue admits, aware that her sudden frankness is unexpected.

     "Then you serve the dark side, now," Maz murmurs, her eyes filling with misplaced sorrow for whom she had been Before. The Rogue shakes her head, denying the woman's allegation. She knows that many in the universe have divided the Force, labeling parts of it as light and dark. The Knights of Ren do not hold to this belief. Light, dark- there is no such divide or distinction to them. There is only the will of the Force- nothing more, nothing less. She watches as surprise flickers across the woman's face at her unspoken denial. Maz disagrees with her, that much is clear, and the woman opens her mouth to argue. The Rogue cuts her off, unwilling to waste time in a battle of ideologies.

     " _Where is the Astromech_?"


	6. Weapon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Knights of Ren witness the aftermath of a weapon they have thought to be long dead, and the First Order arrives.

     It is in this moment that the Monk jerks as if he has been shot, and as the Heavy moves to his side, concerned, the man's sightless eyes turn upwards. He pales, stumbling away from the table they stand by as he pushes past several patrons. Baffled at his strange behavior, the Rogue only has enough time to blink at the man before he vanishes, slipping through the sudden influx of people heading for the entrance. The Heavy lets loose a low growl, starting after the man. He shoulders and shoves his way through the crowd without pause, intent on reaching his distressed companion. The rest of the Knights follow in the path he clears, and she catches identical looks of confusion upon the Sniper and the Armory's faces. They find the Monk facing towards the sky, his expression one of horror. She looks up in bafflement, to see what has- No.

No.

_It_ couldn't exist, not here, not now. And yet, horrid proof extends before them in scarlet paths, through worlds that had been whole upon their arrival. She stares up at the burning planets, feels something threaten to shake open within her. No. No no no. It couldn't be, _it couldn't be_.

     "It was the Republic," a dark skinned human cries out from her right as he races to the side of an older man. "The First Order, they've done it!" Yes, the Rogue silently agrees with him, feeling hollow. They had. And as she hears the familiar roar of approaching fighters, she does not need the wisdom of the Monk to know who comes. The Apprentice is here. The crowd before her scatters as the first shots explode around them, the ground beneath them shaking from their force. She stumbles as a woman shoulders past her, and sudden heat blasts by her as a shot whizzes past her cheek. It catches her by surprise, and she sees the woman lifelessly drop. The Rogue turns, startled to find herself almost looking directly down the barrel of the Sniper's rifle. He pivots around her, two more shots downing their targets, before she comprehends the reasons for his actions. The people before them had been mere civilians, but now? The First Order has made it clear that they no longer hold the protection such a status grants them. Their act of attacking the palace has, effectively, re-labeled these people as enemies. And unless ordered otherwise, there is only one way to deal with enemies. She draws her blaster as he kills another, adding her own shots to his. The other Knights do not join them, the Heavy drawing the Monk close as he leads him towards their transport. The Armory gives her a single glance, and at her nod, he joins the two in their retreat. The Sniper drops to a crouch beside her, steadying his aim, and she shoves away the memory of the destruction above them as she shoots an alien in the back. He lets out a cry of agony as he falls, and she kills the woman who tries to help him up. The Rogue pauses, searches the few faces she can see for the dark skinned man and his older companion. In the wild rush of others trying to escape them, the Rogue does not see the two. It matters not, she decides, as she puts a shot through the back of another woman's head. If she or the Sniper do not kill the them, the First Order's descending forces will. As the ground shudders once more under a hail of deadly fighter fire, she sets about the task of killing the survivors. It is easy.


	7. Forest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A girl is captured.

     The Rogue stands in the wreckage of the palace, surrounded by flames and the dead. It is then, in that small moment of silence, that she hears it.

     "FN-417," an unusually loud communicator goes off to her left, "hold position." She looks towards the Stormtooper, and is surprised to see once more the girl dressed in tan, standing not far from him. The young woman reaches behind her back, pulling desperately at something, and the Rogue curses as she reveals a long range weapon. She swings it up to aim, and the Rogue knows she will not have enough time to warn the unfortunate stormtrooper. The woman pulls the trigger, and the Rogue- watches in bafflement as nothing happens. The brunette pulls it in on herself, slender fingers fiddling with something, and the other woman takes the opportunity given to her.

     "FN-417," the Rogue yells before the woman can raise her weapon again, "find cover!" The stormtrooper jerks in surprise, wasting precious seconds as he turns to look at both of them. It is the first shot, one that goes wide, that forces him into obeying her command. Satisfied as the trooper throws himself behind cover, the Rogue advances upon the woman, unhooking her own weapon as the other raises hers once more. The Rogue pivots, continuing on her path forward as she fires a shot that will-

miss.

The Rogue frowns, firing twice more as the younger woman scrambles away from her, and twice more she misses. She snarls at herself, her blood surging as she gives chase. 

 

     The Rogue dodges again, using the trunks of the many trees around them to aid her in her evasion. She raises her own blaster one more, her frown deepening as she misses yet again. What was happening? She has never missed a single target so many times, and in such an odd manner. The Rogue fires again, just to see if- and yes, her eyes do not deceive her. The blaster fire aimed at the girl's head unnaturally bends away from it. It the slightest of changes, but it is enough to force the bolt into missing her. _What is this_? The Rogue feels a chill go down her back, one that she shoves aside as the girl slides down into a shallow ravine. Staying low, the Rogue follows her. She dodges yet another shot, grimacing as rocks dig mercilessly into her side. In that second, she feels something in the air shift, causing them both to pause. The girl flinches at the sound of a lightsaber activating, the only warning they both gets before the Apprentice rounds the rocky corner before them. The Rogue feels a flash of heat slip by her, and sparks fly as the Apprentice deflects the shot. He never falters as he advances, deflecting shot after shot with ease. She allows the man to pass, falling into step behind him as the young woman turns, scrambling up the ravine's side. She doesn't make it far. The Apprentice climbs after her, flicking aside her blasts as if they are merely a minor annoyance. And perhaps, she thinks, they are. The Rogue clears the ravine just in time to see him jerk a gloved hand towards the girl, and she shivers as the woman freezes. It is a sight that makes her skin crawl, given just how unnaturally stiff the woman stands. Brown eyes widen in true fear, and the Rogue almost pities her as the Apprentice nonchalantly closes the distance between them.

     "The girl I've heard so much about," the Apprentice murmurs, eyeing the younger woman. He passes her in silence, stopping only when their backs face one another. An odd position to assume, the Rogue thinks to herself, stilling as he speaks once more. "The droid." His turn is slow, and Rogue fights the urge to flinch as his lightsaber reactivates. The Apprentice holds it near the captive woman's vulnerable neck, both of them watching as her face is bathed in scarlet heat. " _Where is it_?" She does not speak, and a small part of the Rogue admires her misplaced bravery. The rest of her want to shake the girl, to ruthlessly force her into giving up her knowledge. The Knights of Ren are _so close_ to the map, to finally finding Luke Skywalker. The Rogue stills her shaking hands, clasping them tightly behind her back to avoid the Apprentice's notice. He is not her Master, but even she will admit that it is not her place to interrupt. Not now. Sunshine glints of the Apprentice's dark armor as he rounds the woman, once, twice. Like a predator, the Rogue can't stop herself from making the comparison, circling helpless prey. It is a display of dominance that makes her want to snort, and only the realization that she does not wear her helmet keeps her from rolling her eyes. If he had true power, she thinks, he would not need to make such shows of dominance. No, if he possessed the power he laid claim to, he would have taken after Lord Vader. And it was clear to the Rogue that the Apprentice, try as he might, would likely never live up to their Lord's person. Their Lord _was_ dominance, was pure power incarnate. He had never made such petty displays because he had not _needed_ to. She focuses back in as the Apprentice stops before the girl, his mask tilting slightly as he slowly steps closer. The girl's face tightens in horror as he stretches out a gloved hand, closing her eyes as he stops just short of brushing her face.

     "The map," the Apprentice speaks, his tone oddly soft, "you've seen it." And this time the Rogue does flinch, thinking back to her deadly chase through the forests. What if she had actually succeeded in shooting the girl, in killing her?

     "Sir," a stormtooper's voice echoes through the forests, jerking the Apprentice's attention from the girl, "Resistance fighters. We need more troops."

     "Pull the division out," he commands, turning towards their captive. "Forget the droid. We have what we need." The Apprentice moves to stand behind her once more, raising a hand to the side of her temple- And smoothly catches her as she goes limp, lifting the unconscious woman as if she weighs nothing. He speaks no more as he takes the lead, and the Rogue falls in beside the stormtroopers as they silently follow in his footsteps. Even though she remains on guard, no further threats delay the small group, and their return to the palace is a swift one. The Apprentice steps over burning corpses without the slightest of hesitations, shouldering the limp girl closer as they near his spaceship. The Rogue, unnoticed, falls behind as he strides aboard it. She looks at the ship, at its small size, and backs away as the door swings up to close behind the Apprentice. Even if he had granted them passage aboard it, the Rogue doubts that it could hold them all. Instead, the Rogue looks towards the transport they had arrived on, and is surprised to find it still in place. Only the Heavy remains outside of it, his heavy repeater canon resting upon his right shoulder.

     "Rogue," the man calls out to her, waving his free hand. Still, the Rogue hesitates, turning to look towards their new "Master". The Apprentice's transport rises slowly from the planet's surface, and that is when she sees Maz Kanata once more, as the alien exists her ruined palace. The woman is in clear shock, stumbling through the wreckage to kneel at the side of a deceased patron. The Rogue makes her decision. In this new galaxy, Maz is the only one who has shown any clear recognition of them. In a universe that has long forgotten their original names and faces, this knowledge makes her a threat to the Knights. If the woman lives, she may yet be captured, may give away their identities from Before. Their Master had been clear on the actions they were to take if such a threat was ever found. The Rogue raises her blaster once more. She does not hesitate, even as the small woman lowers her head in grief. She shoots.


	8. Battle of Wills

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girl is interrogated.

     The travel back is a silent affair, but she can feel their growing expectations. The girl is the key, and once she surrenders her part of the map, they will _finally_ be able to locate Skywalker. The Rogue finds herself once more in the interrogation room, her face hidden behind her helmet as she watches the girl before her startle into wakefulness. She pulls at her restraints, face contorting as realization sets in.

     "Where am I," the girl asks the Apprentice, putting forth a bravado of confidence.

     "You're my guest," he replies, ignoring her question entirely.

     "Where are the others," she demands, fire glinting in her eyes.

     "Do you mean the murderers, traitors, and thieves you call friends," the Apprentice's voice goes low at his colorful description, and the Rogue bites back laughter. The same could be said of the First Order. She has seen with her own eyes that they are willing to use that... _monstrosity_ of a weapon. They have stolen the grand purpose of the Empire and twisted it to their own ends. And they have, most damning of all, betrayed Lord Vader's dream for the Empire- an unparalleled time of peace and order under the rule of Emperor Skywalker. "-to hear I have no idea." The Rogue shoves away her anger, burying it to focus on the interrogation taking place before her. "You still want to kill me," the Apprentice mutters, a considering tone entering his voice, his head tilting.

     "That's what happens when you're being hunted by a creature in a mask," the girl bites out, and even the Rogue can see the hatred in her eyes. The Apprentice pauses at her words, his hands ascending to-? The Rogue watches in surprise as he unhooks his own helmet, removing it in a single smooth motion as he stands. The girl mirrors her feelings as they both examine his exposed face, taking in his dark hair and eyes. The Apprentice moves before the girl can speak again, pausing only to lay down his helmet as he nears her. Her eyes are, somehow, even more fearful now. She glances from the Rogue to the Apprentice, her gaze flickering back to the Rogue as he stops before her.

     "Tell me about the droid," the man asks, his voice coaxing and soft.

     "He's a BB unit with a selenium drive," the prisoner reels off its makeup, "and a thermal hyperscan vindicator."

     "It's carrying a section of a navigational chart," the Apprentice cuts her off, "and we have the rest- recovered from the archives of the Empire... but we need the last piece." His pleasant voice is gone, going hard and demanding. "And somehow you convinced the droid to show it to you. You," he continues, turning condescending, "a scavenger." From the back of the Rogue's mind, echoes of Before want to snort at his attitude. A moisture farmer destroyed the first Death Star, it wishes to remind him, and the Rogue fists her hands behind her back as she clamps down on it. "You know I can take whatever I want," the Apprentice reminds their prisoner, his hand coming up to hover inches from her face. "You're so lonely," he whispers, needling at the girl's insecurities. She grits her teeth at his words, tears slipping from her eyes to trickle down her cheeks. "So afraid to leave." He leans closer, eyes darkening as he pulls upon the Force. "At night, desperate to sleep. You imagine an ocean." Their prisoner shudders, her eyes flickering wildly as she tries to resist him. "I see it. I see the island." The Rogue impassively watches, waiting with growing impatience for the Apprentice to pull the map from the girl's mind. "And Han Solo," he speaks, something changing in his voice. "You feel like he's the father you never had." They are not there for Han Solo, they are here for the _map_. "He would have disappointed you," the Apprentice remarks, tone going strangely knowing and bitter.

     "Get out of my head," the prisoner hisses, brown eyes finally landing squarely upon his. He stands once more, extending his hand again as he repositions himself in front of her.

     "I know you've seen the map," he accuses, "it's in there. And now you'll give it to me." The Rogue watches as the girl strains against his pull, grunting as she is slowly tugged forward. "Don't be afraid," the Apprentice reassures her, "I feel it, too." She gives a shuddering gasp.

     "I'm not giving you anything," the prisoner declares, her voice gone tight.

     "We'll see," the dark haired man mutters. The Rogue shifts at the intensifying battle of wills before her, wondering at the near silent war that she cannot see. And that is when the prisoner's face suddenly goes smooth, all signs of struggle disappearing as she refocuses in on the Apprentice's face. The Rogue feels the hair on her neck lift at the abrupt change, feels hints of something dancing just beyond her awareness.

     "You," the girl whispers, all trace of fear and strain gone from her voice. "You're afraid. That you will never be as _strong_ as Darth Vader." The Apprentice reels back at her words, shuddering as he looks at her in a new light. For a moment, all are silent. He pivots sharply, leaves with an unsteady step. Weak, the Rogue realizes, he is weak. And that, she suddenly understands, is why he had been unable to tear the map from the prisoner's mind, why she had been able to turn the Force against him. The Rogue gives the girl one last look, taking in her exhausted state of being. She leaves to inform her fellow Knights of the Apprentice's failure.


	9. Will of the Force

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Rogue will always obey the will of the Force.

     The base around the Rogue lurches harshly, and she steadies herself, paling. The rest of the Knights had separated from her when the alarms had first sounded, the Monk insistent that she go forth while they retreated. She had done as he had asked, unquestioningly obeying as they started from their room. Still, though, she feels naked without their presence. Vulnerable in a way that makes her skin crawl. Without the Monk to guide her directly, she stumbles through winding hallways alone, trusting that the Force will guide her to wherever it intends her to be.

 

     She arrives just in time to see Han Solo die, to hear the agonized cries of his companions as she watches his body plummet below. The Wookie, Chewbacca, she remembers with a rush of recognition, shoots the Apprentice, causing the younger man to clutch at his side and stumble. The Rogue leaps over freshly made corpses, vaults down stairwells, desperate to reach the Apprentice's side before he succumbs to his wounds.

     "Master," The Rogue calls out, boots pounding on metal as she finally reaches him. She presses her hands to his side, tries to staunch the flow of his blood as she speaks again. "Master," she says, ignoring the way the word tastes like ash in her mouth, "we must lea-"

     "No," he grinds out, knocking her hands away as he clutches at his wound. Blood runs like a river down his darkened armor, stains her gloves where she had touched him. "Follow them," his command is a low, pained snarl. She... complies. Hooks an arm around his waist and helps the younger man forward, surprised at the speed he still possesses. They climb stairs, blood trailing behind him, before they finally reach the exit the two had used. The Apprentice pulls ahead of her then, his breath ragged as he hounds his prey with single minded determination. The woman draws her blaster as she follows his unnaturally rapid pace, follows in the wake of his furious steps. The base rapidly shrinks behind them, and the Rogue is startled when the Apprentice reignites his lightsaber, surprised to find that they have somehow arrived ahead of the two escapees. They freeze at the Apprentice's appearance, eyes going wide. She slowly raises her blaster, gladdened that their attention is for the Apprentice alone as she takes careful aim.

     "We're not-" the Appentice starts, and she shoots at the girl before he can finish his useless sentence. Just as in the forest, her shot goes wide, the Force bending fatal blaster fire into a harmless near miss. It makes the Rogue want to scream. She is obeying the will of the Force, obeying the will of her Master. Why then has it turned against her!? The dark skinned man, the traitor stormtrooper she had learned upon their return, lunges at her with a furious war cry. The Rogue dodges his attack, stumbling backwards through snow as the Apprentice takes advantage of the opening he has been given. The sickening smell of burnt flesh curls through the air as he cuts a scarlet path up the man's back, her Master's lightsaber flying from stormtrooper's grasp as he collapses at the blow. The other woman lets loose a cry of agony at her companion's fall, only to be struck back by a blow from the Force as the Apprentice flicks her away. The man turns from all of them, dark eyes falling to fix upon the fallen lightsaber before him. The Rogue feels her breath catch as he extends a hand towards it, the hilt shaking at his pull. If it answers him... Her heart leaps as it flies from its cold resting place, shooting towards- past? Past the Apprentice? Into the outstretched hand of the girl. Her Master's lightsaber. Her future Emperor's lightsaber. It had answered not the Apprentice's call, but the girl's. She feels once more things hovering just beyond her comprehension shift with meaning, and her knees go weak as glorious realization sets in. It is in this moment that the Rogue finally _understands_. A vision forms before her eyes- Emperor Skywalker sits upon the galaxy's throne, yet he is no longer alone, as the Knights had feared upon their awakening. They had found none since their return who had been worthy of the positions of the Right Hand and the Left Hand. The most loyal of his protectors, the Knights had once intended for Han Solo and Leia Organa to bear those coveted titles. The Knights' reawakening had seen the death of that dream. They had despaired that they would find none in this new galaxy who would be capable of loyally protecting their future Emperor. Now, though? The Force had provided them with the solution. He would have once more a Right Hand. He would have once more a loyal protector, a steadfast guardian of his safety. The Rogue sees it _so clearly_. The girl, the Right Hand, stands at the foot of the Emperor's throne. She guards him from all harm, cuts down his enemies with ruthless efficiency. The imagined image takes her breath away. The Rogue lowers her blaster, retreating from the fierce battle before her. The Force itself has spoken- she would not dare fight one so clearly loved by it. To do so would be to go against its will, and that is a sacrilege that even her Master could not have forced her to commit. She holsters her blaster, moving to follow in the wake of their war path.

 

     "-a teacher!" The Rogue hears the Apprentice exclaim over the whine of their crossed lightsabers. "I could show you the ways of the Force!" The Rogue cannot hear the woman's response over the sound of their lightsabers, is only aware that something within her has apparently changed at his words. The Apprentice and the Right Hand fight with rage and power, with harsh blows and thunderous strikes. The air around them crackles with energy, the flow of the battle shifting from the Apprentice's favor to the girl's as his wounds further weaken him. She lands glancing blow after glancing blow as she turns her retreat into a ruthless advance. The Right Hand forces him back, grasps his hand tightly as he catches her other wrist, both of them straining to land a blow. The Right Hand pulls the arm that holds her down in a surprise move, cutting a searing path across his chest as she shoves him away. The Apprentice cries out as he falls, clutching at his newest wound as he pants into the darkened night. The woman does not press her advantage, a move the surprises the Rogue. She instead draws away, showing her back to the woman as she circles her fallen enemy. The Rogue will never know what she had planned, for the planet shudders then, a sudden movement that makes both women stumble. The ground beneath their feet rumbles, frozen trees cracking as they shake at some unseen force. The Rogue barely has time to leap to safety as once stable ground splinters beneath her, a frigid chasm yawning open with violent force. She lands- on the wrong side. The Apprentice stares at them from across the chasm, the Right Hand looking down at her in delayed shock.

     "Go," she commands the woman when her breath returns to her. Exhausted confusion greets her words and the Rogue shakily starts to regain her footing. "Go. Now. Take the stormtrooper and leave this place."

     "Why," the Right Hand demands, hesitates, torn between escape and bafflement.

     "It is the will of the Force," the Rogue replies. Surprised silence is the Right Hand's response, and the Rogue is fine with that. She will understand, eventually. For a moment more, they stand in silence, then the Right Hand spins away from her, sprinting into the darkness of the night. The Rogue turns away from the desperate retreat, ice crunching beneath her feet as she starts forward. She trusts in the Force as she walks, ignoring the bitter cold around her. It will guide her way, as it always has.


	10. Scarlet Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Rogue accepts that she will die.

     She finds him half covered in snow, made near unconscious by blood loss. Weary eyes, clouded with pain, slowly turn up at her approach.

     "Apprentice," she greets him.

     "Rogue," he manages to weakly choke out. Even the simple act of addressing her pains the man, and he clutches at his wound, hissing in agony. The ground beneath them shudders ominously, the frozen trees around them creaking with the movement. She looks beyond him, up to the once calm night sky. The shattering planet's core bathes it in scarlet light, and she takes a moment to appreciate the view. Beautiful, the Rogue thinks. The woman glances once more down at the Apprentice, and he moves no more, speaks no more. He still lives, just barely, but she knows he will not survive for much longer. Even if the Rogue leaves him here, she will not make it off the planet. The destruction that had been wrought upon it is too great- it will collapse before she is able to reach the base.

She will die here.

The thought does not bother her. Jyn Erso had faced death on Scarif, and the Rogue had faced death on many a mission under Darth Vader. Death no longer holds any fright, not when she knows what lies beyond. The Rogue pauses; looks down once more at the unconscious Apprentice. To die alone, she only wishes that fate upon a few, and the misguided man before her is not one of them. Chilled by the cold, the Rogue slowly clears a spot next to him, her armor protesting as she descends to sit beside him. He will die here. She will die here. All is not lost, though. The other Knights will find Skywalker, help him ascend to the throne of the galaxy. He will guide them into a new age of peace, of prosperity, and the Right Hand will guard him. It will be beautiful- the completion of their ultimate dream. They will finally accomplish the will of their Lord, the will of the Force. It will be glorious, and she will not live to see it. She is fine with that, the knowledge of what will come to pass is enough to sustain her in her final moments. Her final moments. The Rogue pauses at the thought; reaches the last decision she will make. Her helmet comes off easily, and she tucks loose bangs behind her ear with frigid fingers. She will see the destruction of the planet, see the destruction of the weapon, with her own eyes. From the corner of her eye, she catches a glimpse of blue, a static figure. Hallucinations? Already? The cold is acting far faster than she had thought it would. The Rogue dismisses the flickering hallucination as she leans back; watches the burning scarlet sky.

She closes her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was not how I planned on the story ending, it's not even close to how this was originally supposed to go down. This ending just kind of... happened. Though, this was also just going to be a one shot, but then it turned into a tiny story, and now that tiny story has turned into a series. I have an ending planned, but that's honestly all I have right now, I never expected this to be an actual series. I can tell you this, though- the Knights will eventually meet Luke Skywalker. I am so looking forward to writing that scene, talk about ALL the awkwardness. "Hi, Luke, we're the people your father tortured into following him. By the way, we also want to make you the Emperor of the galaxy!"  
> 

**Author's Note:**

> All credit for this story goes entirely to The Film Theorists, the original creators of this idea (Film Theory: ROGUE ONE's Turn to the Dark Side). They were the true creative geniuses behind this, I'm just the nobody who liked it enough to write about it.


End file.
